To Find Ourselves in the Dark
by Rockstolid
Summary: Drew, a mentally awkward survivor of a zombie Apocalypse, finds himself dazed and confused in a place he thought was only fiction. But is followed by a bloody past and new friends
1. Prolouge

I do not own any rights to My Little Pony : Friendship is Magic.

**To Find Ourselves in the Dark**

Well, lets just start this plain and simple.

My name is Drew Jerome Mantz, I'm of the age of sixteen, and I haven't seen a kind or even vaguely familiar face in about a year. I'm roughly the height of six foot one, I casually wear a zip up jacket to every type of situation. No matter what. To say, I had a pair of black combat pants, a gray, military grade, tee-shirt, and a shiny pair of combat boots on the day I'd died. And that's how it would stay.

For now.

A lost sense of crashing took over my body. Raging it into a cold scene of shock. A warm rain pounded on my head, edging off unconsciousness. Willing my aching limbs into movement, I stood again. Blood was a great sense in my mouth, as well as the smell of it was heavy. Both in fear and the amount of blood on my jacket. A few lazy thoughts of crashing a helicopter, and pretty much catching a whole city on fire.

But, a single thought outshone them all. It was that I was a survivor of a worldwide disease, that had turned everyone I knew into a mindless, brain eating society. I figured out that I had a strange immunity to it, being that I have a strong and rare blood type of O negative. Which, by fate, repels the disease and the infection.

But, that doesn't mean that they just stop trying to kill me.

Throwing my attention from my thoughts to the direction I was walking in. I seemed to be on the outskirts of a small town.

Wait, my conscious stopped me, Small town? Didn't we crash in a large city?

"Yep." I said out loud, "I'm totally dead, or that was a dream." The taste of blood in my mouth and the smell in my nose didn't make me think it was a dream. Looking about, I saw my deep-green duffle bag a few paces behind me. Taking a few cautious steps back, watching my surroundings, I kneeled at my bag. Digging into it, a few familiar items had light up my eyes. My gun belt, which held two, quite polished, Colt 1911s. Which, I had placed a large amount of time carving 'Peace' and 'Vengeance' into them. Taking up the belt, I placed it around my hip, and made sure it was tightly in place. Looking back into the bag, I saw another of my weapons. One I used for long range, which would happen to be a scoped .22 rifle. The no kickback to it helped when facing large hordes of zombified people. Taking that up as well, putting it on with its shoulder strap. Taking one another looking into the bag, it contained a small medical kit. Within this bag was a large amount of blue, red, green vials, a few bottles of painkillers, and few rolls of wet bandages. Varies kinds of medical supplies I had gathered during my time alone. The green had a quite obvious label of 'Cure'. Because, it was. In my time of showering the world with my travels, I found the weird herb that had sprouted up. Looking into it in a rundown medical lab, it repels and kills the virus that had swept up the world.

Problem is that the herb couldn't cure an already, one hundred percent, infected person. It would end up killing the person anyways. Being that the virus replicated red and white blood cells, and substituted as that.

Taking inventory in the rest of my bag. I had a pair of portable solar panels, a casual MP3 player, a small bullet speaker that ran on its own battery, and something I wouldn't of expected. That thing would be a little plushie character from a show that watched before the infection, which was a average sized plushie Fluttershy. I grinned as I saw a few bottle of water and few military grade granola bars, zipping the bag back up. Checking the other pockets, I found a case of two hundred fifty .22 rounds, unopened, and sixteen clips for my pistols.

Enough to last awhile, my conscious noted. Nodding my head as I loaded my pistols and five shells into the twenty-two. Slinging the bag over my shoulder, I looked about at what I suspected to be Hell.

Or something of the sort, because I truly didn't know.

Taking out the MP3 player and speaker from my duffle bag, going through the songs. One struck me oddly, but was quite good at the moment.

This song happened to be 'Crossing Over' by Five Finger Death Punch.

Clicking it on, I began to grin like an idiot as the music gave away my position to everyone or everything around me. Points to the world. I turned, and continued my march down the path into town.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Walking into the town, even in the rain, I found it strangely wrecked and deserted. Nothing that I would count out of the ordinary in the zombie infested Earth of mine. Keeping my rifle in my hands, I switched off my music, and proceeded cautiously. Taking quite steps as my boots made small squelching sounds in the dirt road. The town was pretty much a ghost town, nothing living as well as dead. I'd seen this a few times in the past, I had labeled them 'Test Grounds'. Because, thats what I guess they were. All infected, no dead. Taking a harder look at the buildings, I saw that they were brightly colored and made of thatch. A few lazy thoughts began to appear in my head, distracting me into standing still for a few moments.

Then a scream erupted from behind me, causing me to instinctively raise my rifle and point it at the direction of the scream. And by god, I wanted to see what I saw. But, at the same time I was horrified. There, in front of my eyes, was a small ruby red unicorn running to me. It was quite obviously a young filly, with fear and desperation blazing in her eyes. I looked to why she was running to me, and I got what I asked for. Three, quite rotten and dead looking, ponies with the dead look, the one you couldn't fake, in their eyes. Dried and black blood covered their body, I could see every detail of their figures quite easily. The one in front a middle-aged mare, with blond hair and a nice red coat. Whose height came up to my chest easily. The other two were different in appearance, but I couldn't get the details down before I gagged. Their prey was quite obvious,

The little filly running in my direction.

I raised my rifle, pointing it down range to the three monsters chasing the filly.

"Over here!" I yelled to the red unicorn. Who's eyes looking to me with a glimmer of hope. I could easily shoot over her, so I did. I put my whole clip of 5 bullets down range at the three zombified ponies. Which zipped into their bodies, dropping them. The ending of the shooting was very anti-climatic, leaving a sick feeling in my gut as I saw the three fall. My aim was dead on, but I felt as if I wanted to burn the gun in my hands for doing what I did.

I felt a nudge on my leg as I stood in shock. Looking down, I saw the weary, but thankful eyes of the filly I had just saved. All I could give in response was tears, kneeling down. I looked her eyes and said,

"My name is Drew, can you understand me?" The filly nodded weakly, and pretty much collapsed in my arms. I blinked out the tears I had from killing, pretty much sentient, zombie horses. It hurt me that I didn't have time to bury their bodies.

God I needed a shrink.

I looked from my duffel bag, back to the sleeping filly in my arms as I kneeled. Taking out my medical bag, and the other bag of food. I placed the filly inside the bag, keeping her head above the zipper level. With her looking majorly content inside the duffel bag on my right side, I put rifle over my shoulder, I drew forth Peace, my trusty right hand pistol. Turning about to look about in the rain, I attempted to look for a sort of shelter from the rain. I had two good reasons for wanting shelter; One, being that it would keep me protected from the rain and zombies alike. Two, being that I absolutely_ HATE _being sick. Looking around, I saw what I suspected to be a library in a tree. My conscious stopped me once more, Libraries don't go in trees. I silently agreed, turning to my right, and pressed forward.

Taking a route out of the town, the opposite route to which I woke up on. As I kept forward, came in contact with what I suspected to be a forest. No matter what way I thought of it, it gave me the creeps. Tightening the grip on my pistol, I kept to the edge of the forest, following it out to what my senses guessed was east. A few thoughts began to swim lazily in my head again, standing side by side with my strong focus of my surroundings. This place reminded me of a television show I watched as a innocent kid. The name of the show is always in my head, but I couldn't remember what the land was called, _Questia_? My conscious suggested, but I knew that it wasn't right. The town as well I had been in looked vaguely familiar. My conscious seemed to know this one again by heart, _Ponyville_. I chuckled at the thought my earlier years, never the thoughts of dying day to day. I stopped dead in my tracks as a cottage came into view. From the distance I was at, it looked as if it was made from a tree. Taking out my other pistol, having bad past experiences with cottages, I pressed forward to the cottage in the rain.

I shivered as I reached the front door of the cottage, I wrapped my right gun on the door. I heard a pained whimper from inside in the door, which by instinct, made me pushed the door open. A wave coppery scent hit my nose, which was the mix of fear and blood. But, what I saw this time wanted to make me beat the shit out of the next monster I came intact with.

In my line of vision, which happened to be dim from the lack of lighting, was a cream yellow pegasus. She was curled in the far right corner of the room, possibly in fear. In the center of the room was a bleeding out unicorn stallion. I slowly kneeled on the ground, releasing the duffle bag onto the floor. I placed Vengeance and Peace in their holsters, grabbing at my medical bag from my side. The stallion on the floor had a charcoal coat, and a winter-snow color of hair. He had a marking on his flank of a pen and pencil in a X shape. But, from what I saw, was slowly fading away. I pulled out the wet roll of bandages from my bag, trying in vain to close up the wound on his right side.

That is when he attacked me.

He turned, his eyes full of the sign of death and fury. The stallion decided to try and chomp on my right arm. Which, he got, biting onto my right arm. I screamed, pulling out Vengeance out of its holster, and put a bullet in his brain. To note, caused a ear shattering 'Bang!' He slumped onto the ground, fully lifeless. I stared at my arm with pain squinted eyes.

"Bugger all!" I yelled, digging into the medical bag with my left hand. Pulling out a fresh roll of bandages, I began to unroll it onto the wound, over my jacket. I hissed through my teeth. Rushing to finish the wrap, I tried it off in a loose knot. Turning my attention to the other in the room, I said in a weary voice,

"Are you bitten?" She nodded with a large sense of fear, I walked over with my medical bag. Pulling out a vial of the green herb and an injector. I kneeled in front of the fear struck creature and explained to her,

"This is a cure, it will help you, just please sit still for a moment." I filled the needle with the green liquid, nicking my left thumb with it on accident. Hissing between my teeth, I looked to the pegasus with my weary face,

"This will only sting for a moment, then you feel feverish, and by all means try and vomit." I slowly put the pegasus' left arm, which was the only thing that was available to put a needle into. Going back to my bag, I took out my last roll of bandages. Turning my attention back to the cream colored pegasus,

"Where were you bitten?" I asked, to which the creature held out its wing. It was quite clearly cladded with blood. I nodded, turning back to other bag, which happened to be my food and water bag. Taking out a bottle of water, I opened the top, and poured a small amount onto the pegasus' outstretched wing. Cleaning it out, I took the rest of the vial I had used with the injector, and poured it over the wound. Taking out some antibiotics, I swabbed it over with my finger, and finished it off with the bandage. Passing the water bottle to the pegasus, who accepted it. I stood up, and walked back to the duffle bag. To find the ruby-red unicorn filly awake, and with wide eyed fear and wonder. I put down my rifle and two other bags. Turning to the charcoal stallion, whose life I had taken and released, I picked up his body. Taking it outside, and gently laid him on the soil. I gave a almost hushed voice to the ground where he laid, I said the words like I said them many times, and had choked on them,

"To the Gods, I give you a soul who has lost its way, I hope you pardon his actions, and place them upon my sins."

I gave a slight nod, becoming drenched once again with rain. Turning back around, I went into the cottage and closed the door.

Standing in the room, tears streaked my face once more. I gave another light chuckle, and a quirky remark,

"Its been a long day." I sighed, and walked over to the pegasus in the corner. To which I gather was a mare, and still somewhat in shock. Beside her, the bottle of water I gave her was drained, the effects of the cure working in place. Going back to my duffle bag, looking at unicorn who I hadn't even gotten a name from, I grabbed up the bag I had gotten the water from. Taking it with me, I went and sat by the mare in the corner. Digging through the bag, I found a flashlight, giving a flat faced expression, I flicked it on. It's bright illuminance filled the room, I set it in front of me. Taking in the room, the whole of the room was barren of furniture. Which I saw was all stacked against the windows. I guessed that the mare had been trying to barricade the room, but didn't have time to get the door. Taking out a granola bar from my bag, I struggled to open it with my shaking hands. But, I got it open and broke it in half. Handing a half to the pegasus,

"Here, you'll need this." I started with a waring thin voice. She accepted it without hesitation, and through it quickly snapped through it. I stood back up, going over and took up my bag with the filly in it. Taking it over near the mare, I set it, and sat in between the two. Handing off the other half of the granola bar to the filly who accepted it like the other had. A soft and familiar voice spoke up beside me,

"Uhm... Thank you." the pegasus muttered softly. Normally, no one would would of been able to hear what she said. But, one's hearing would sharpen if it was always on alert. I smiled as I heard that she spoke, and I recognized it quite quickly.

It was Fluttershy.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

A large portion of my brain was screaming 'Hooah!', or F- yeah in military terms. The other portion wanted to put a bullet into my forehead and save myself the heartache. Staring at my hands, that were coated with blood. My own or someone else's, I couldn't tell. Taking out Peace and Vengeance from their holsters, I looked at both of them with a sad face. I heard a voice slow come from my left, I noticed it was younger and shivering,

"W-.. What are those? Their so loud." The ruby filly said, I shook my head with a forlorn look and answered,

"Beautiful but evil tools." I sighed and quoted, "'Thy temptation of evil elegance is the ever hardest to resist'" I placed Vengeance on the floor to my left, safety on, and took up the flashlight. Taking up Peace in my left hand, I stood and looked about. Throwing my weary gaze to the cream mare on in the corner,

"Do you have some towels, or even a mop?" She nodded, and stood. I held out my hand to stop her, shaking my head.

"Just direction, I don't want you moving about." She sat back down,

"Uhm.. Up the stairs and to the left." the mare whispered. Taking my movement to the stairs, I walked up them. Causing them to creak under my weight. Hurrying up the stairs, I came upon the second floor.

Compared to the first floor, this place was spotless. Everything was neat and tidy, and it sort of surprised me. Going to my left, I came in contact with a bathroom. I gathered up a few towels that neatly hung from a rack, and turned around. I was half expecting a large zombie to be following me, but I saw the wide-eyed expression of the ruby-red filly. Her eyes were a beautiful gray-green, almost like mine. But, mine lack the beautiful part. I smiled, and put away Peace. I took the flashlight in my teeth, and picked her up in the towels. She resisted for a moment, but then relaxed. I walked into what I saw was a bedroom, it was all neat and tidy. I set the filly on the bed, taking the flashlight from my mouth,

"You stay up here for the moment, okay? But, don't hesitate to holler if you need something." She nodded. I turned around and hurried down stairs.

But what I mean but hurried is that I jumped down the stairs in a single leap, and managed to land at the bottom with a quiet thud. Turning my head to the cream mare, who seemed to be in full effect of the cure. Which to mean that she'd looked very feverish. I walked over a picked her up without hesitation, she gave a faint squeak of surprise. Turning back around and I took her back upstairs. Going to the left again, I took her into the bathroom I had retreated too to get the towels. Setting her down next to what I suspected to be a toilet, I looked to her,

"Will you be okay up here for a moment?" She nodded, obviously tired with fever.

I turned again, and went down stairs. Using my flashlight and brute force, I shoved a couch in front of the door. I gathered up all of my supplies. Taking my twenty-two over my shoulder. Find a table discarded near a window, I hauled it up the stairs, panting heavily. Reaching the top, I put it top-sideways, facing the stairway.

Walking back into the bedroom, I took a few steps over to the bed. I set all of my supplies onto the floor. Taking up a bottle of water and some pain killers. Pulling out a granola bar, I opened it and handed it to the ruby filly on the bed. I gave the bar's wrapper a look, it was one of the peanut butter ones.

Which happened to be my favorite. But, a second thought hit me, telling me that it was selfish to think that way.

I turned from the room, and went into the bathroom. I saw the cream mare hanging over the toilet, obviously puking. I rushed over and kneeled beside her. Running my hand over her head in an attempt to comfort her. She pulled back, looking at me with a saddened expression. I looked around from a rag, and found one on the rack I had grabbed the towels from. Dousing it with the water from my water bottle, I began to run it over the mare's face. Who did not seem to complain about it. Finishing up cleaning her face, I gave her the water bottle. Unscrewing the top of the bottle of painkillers. Shaking three into my hand, I held them up to the pegasus. Who licked them from my hand, and gulped it down with water. Which I found interesting to watch as she used both of her hooves like hands. She drained the bottle and sighed. As she dropped the bottle, I put my arm under her waist and chest. Hauling her upwards, and proceeded to walk from the room, and into the bedroom.

My subconscious gave a snide remark about helping ponies, but I shut it out.

Setting the mare on the other side of the bed, beside the filly, who I suggested knick-naming a ball of towels at the moment. Seeing that they were both a warm and comfortable spot, I stripped off my soaked jacket, removing the bandage on my arm. Placing my twenty-two on the wall to my left, looking around at the dark room. Only illuminated by my flashlight. The paint was a calm green color, with pictures lining the walls. The smell was more or less better then downstairs, but I still gave a heavy scent of blood from the injury on my arm. I fell back onto the wall in exhaustion, feeling worn to the bone and soul. I shut my eyes for a moment, trying to get a grasp on my sanity and direction.

Okay, my sane conscious said, We're in a world of ponies, a place we used to think about as a child, and it happens to have the same problem as our world. The other side of my conscious, who had totally lost its sanity. The insane conscious began to scream about killing everything in sight, and myself.

Opening my eyes in awareness as a pair of hooves hit the floor, I zipped my flashlight to the sound. I saw the ruby filly walk over to me, medical bag in her teeth. She set it beside me with a weary smile, taking a seat with it.

"My name is Ruby, and I'd like to thank you." the young filly said with a large amount of intelligence from what I guessed her age. I grabbed the bag with my left hand, pulling out a vial of the red substance. Which to note, was a natural blood thickener. Taking the stopper off, I poured half it over the bite on my right arm. I bit my tongue in pain, and closed the vial slowly. Tears began to sprout from my eyes again, the large amount of pain I had been holding back hit me at once. Opening the bottle of painkillers, I poured about five into my palm. Swallowing them dry, and sat back in response,

"Nice to.." I paused as another wave of emotion and pain washed over me. "Meet you Ruby. My name is Drew, sorry that I look like such a mess." She looked at me with sad eyes,

"I know, and you don't look like that much of a mess." Ruby looked down at the floor and back to me, seemingly observing me,

"If you don't mind me asking a question." I shook my head, so she continued, "I was wondering what you are, I've never seen a pony like you before." I tried smile some, but it possibly looked like a spasm of pain,

"Because I'm not a pony, I'm what you call a human. As you could guess from this, I'm not from here. I don't even know where I am." She looked surprised, I closed my eyes for a moment. Then opened them, looking her in the eyes.

"I think I died."


	4. Chapter 3

/an/ All I've got to say about this chapter, is that it is LONG and has A LOT of dialogue. But you bros and bronies out there like that.

**Chapter 3**

Ruby looked in my eyes with disbelief, sighing, I began to tell the story of where I came from, who I was, and what I did.

"Like I said, my name is Drew Jerome Mantz, my mother picked my first name and middle name. The last name followed suit. When I was younger, I was a real artist. Won four gold medals in a state art show. But where I come from is a small town in a state called Kansas, which is in the United States of America. Which is just a single continent on our planet. Which, early philosophers called, Earth. The name just stuck, being that the world in a older language meant Dirt, and that's what they thought the planet was made of, just solid dirt, stone, and gems. Our race is a technology advanced race, we had the power to destroy our very own planet at our will.

"Some many times people tried to. We may have been a technological advantage over everything, but doesn't mean that we are the most religious and sanity stable culture. My people have so many different languages, so many types of literature, so much of everything. But, too many religions always end in conflict, people fought each other and died for what they believed in. Even if it was what type of way that they raised their children.

"And one day, while everything was just wire-thin, a single religion snaps. Creating a bigger biochemical weapon, something that turn allies into bloodthirsty enemies. They thought that they were safe in their bunkers, but they weren't. Slowly, but surely they clawed their way in. Through the ventilation systems of the bunker. Turning their air into a bloody hue. As they tried to flee, they were swarmed by thousands of mindless walkers."

I stopped, taking remembrance of the memory. I was sitting atop of a mountain, about a mile and a half out. It was the day I felt happy for revenge, something that I have deep hatred for.

"There was no hope for them, they were consumed by them. After the dead had cleared, I had taken my time to see what they had left behind. I, myself, was looking for a antidote, a cure. That's when I started looking at something I called a green herb. It had some properties I didn't understand at the time, but looking into it, I found that it ate and repelled the virus. Which is just a simple folded protein prions. The reason the infect spread so rapidly is because the pathogen has no DNA and can self-replicate. As I said, the green herb, or an Anti-TSE, eats these prions. As well, it causes the immune system to go into hyper drive mode. Causing an almost immediate fever, and forces the subject to expel the dead prions."

Looking at the on my right arm bite mark, that was already clogged up with now black blood.

"What makes me immune to this.. virus. Is that the white blood cells and proteins in my blood are so large, they the prions cannot consume them. But instead are absorbed by my blood. Which in the end makes me sick, fever and all the shebang."

I looked to Ruby, a hurt smile on my face.

"I know you're all a magical bunch, seemingly because I had one start shooting rays of light at me." I half-lied, I knew that they were magical anyways. Ruby looked at me in silent question. "But, do you know what caused it to happen here? I mean, that the virus from where I come from was engineered. Created in a lab." She shook her head, still trying to take in what I was telling her. I sighed, knowing that I wouldn't get any information from someone of her age. I stared at my shaking hands again,

"At least I know its the same or at least similar protein fold." Closing my eyes,"You need to get some sleep." She nodded, lying her head on my lap, and closed her eyes to fall asleep. I, myself, fell into a meditative state.

The Next Morning

My eyes snapped back open as the MP3 player in my pocket began to beep through the speaker.

Which to note, was loud as hell.

Ruby lifted her head, looking at me in question. The mare that was on the bed had lifted her head as well.

I looked at the window that was near the bed, morning rays of light began to pour in. The rain had made the outside look clear and fresh.

Reaching into my pocket, I pulled the MP3 player. A few words were on it that made me feel that I was being watched. 'Time to move out!' it read, a time next to it gave me what I suspected to be a reasonable number. I stood up, and stretched. Grabbing up my twenty-two, I began to put things in my duffle bag. Being that the things were the two bags I had within the bag. I pulled out the second to last water bottle, and opened the top. I took a meager gulp of it. Handing it off to Ruby. Who took a few sips, and handed it to the cream mare.

I grinned, Ruby was learning fast.

Reaching back into the food bag, I pulled out the last three granola bars. Taking one for myself, I opened the other two, handing them out.

Turning my attention to out the window. I saw a speck moving toward the cabin. I opened the window, pointing out my rifle to get a better look. The speck, was actually a cyan pegasus. Which oddly enough, had a trail of rainbow following her. Her eyes were full of determination, and fear.

Like I hadn't seen enough of that.

Turning the zoom on the scope some more, I saw that she was being trailed. By flying walkers. Un-zooming the scope, I began to prepare. Seeing that she was being followed on the ground by almost a score of walkers. I turned my head around, looking at Ruby.

"Can you levitate things?" She nodded proudly. I pulled out Peace from its holster, quickly ejecting the clip and bullet in chamber. Holding it out to her.

"Okay, focus your grip on the, you know, grip. If you can, try and slowly squeeze on the trigger." She looked at me with question and did so. Ruby focused on the gun, lightly pulling it from my grasp. She slowly squeezed the trigger, causing a light click as the hammer hit. I nodded,

"That'll do." I quickly took off my belt holster, pulling off the holster from the belt to Vengeance, and put the holster around Ruby's waist, she looked startled that I was giving her a weapon.

"I'm not expecting you to play soldier, but I need you to cover my back. I'm only doing this because I doubt that the other is in any condition to fight." I put two extra clips on her belt. Reloading the gun with a snap of the hammer. She took it up again, I saw that she flipped the safety on then off without me telling her. Good girl, I thought. I turned back to the window, seeing that I had less than forty seconds before they reached us. I counted a half score in the air, a score on the ground.

"Thirty walkers in all, one survivor!" I yelled in slight command, taking aim on my twenty-two. Loading another five rounds into the gun.

The gun had a maximum of twenty rounds, but I had to conserve.

I took slow shots with the rifle, careful of the pegasus survivor flying our way. Most of the pegasi dropped at the shots, leaving two that were using the flying survivor to their advantage. I reloaded the rifle with another eight rounds.

"Come on!, Faster! Los los!" I yelled in two languages, feeling that it was appropriate. The blue pegasus shot into the room, over my head. Quickly letting me put four bullets into the two others. It was a waste, but it took that many. I saw the score of ground walkers charging to the house a rounded to about a minute behind. I pulled out my MP3 player, putting on some music. I pressed the shuffle button. A familiar song poured forth, which happened to be 'Shameful Metaphors' by Chevelle. I began to whisper to the song as I began to fire.

"Fear, it's all the same.*Bang* Should I even? *Bang* To tend to these sights. *Bang* Said out loud and certain again. *Bang* If fates to run, *Bang* you'll start to feel light headed, *Bang* by my admission. *Bang* Nothing grows, *Bang* just a longer list of uncertainty. *Bang*" This continued for the rest of the song, reloading once, smoke began to show from the gun. The score of walkers had been reduced to nothing in less than two minutes. Their bodies showered the ground in front of the house. Another thirty dead by my hands, and only one was saved.

What is wrong with me? my conscious asked, running back into its room, leaving me alone with my unstable insanity and instinct. Who, by now just mentally looked at each other on what to do next.

I turned around, closing the window. A storm raging in my head, a heavy exhaustion began to creep on my body. I saw the shocked eyes of the cyan pegasus. Who just stumbled to get words from her lips.

"You.. You.. You killed them." I nodded sullenly. I grabbed the MP3 player, turning it off, and stuffed it in my pocket. I sat down, feeling the lead weight of depression hitting my heart. I closed my eyes, gathering up enough sane thoughts to speak,

"I did what needed to be done." I opened my eyes and looked at her with a serious look, "And I don't expect you do you it." Ruby walked over to me, nuzzling my chest, and sat next to me. I coughed somewhat, feeling the urge to vomit. I stood back up, taking a look about. Walking over to my duffle bag, I threw it over my shoulder.

"We need to move, I don't have anymore supplies." I took out the last water bottle, and the medical pack. I looked to the cyan pegasus, handing the open bottle out.

"Here. Were you bitten?" She shook her head, and began to drain the water bottle. "Okay, we're moving out in a few minutes. They know we're here." The cyan pegasus, who had finished draining the bottle, spoke up in a forced tough tomboy voice.

"I came here to get Fluttershy, but they started chasing me." I nodded in concern, asking,

"Did you have anyone else with you?" She gave a nod of her head. "Okay," I said, taking up Vengeance, and put the holster around my right thigh. "We need to move and rally with your party." I turned to Ruby, who had been staring at me in concern, "You watch the right, I got the left." She nodded at the command. Taking up the duffel bag, just now noticing the cream pegasus still looked heavily drowsy. I laid the duffle bag next to her, and gently pick her up. Setting her into the duffle bag, which happened to be a perfect fit. Fluttershy, who I gather this was, didn't seem to notice that I had moved her. I sighed, standing up with the bag. I heard a voice lash from behind me.

"Hey! What are you doing to Fluttershy?" I winced, looking back to answer. But, I wasn't one who did, it was Ruby who spoke up.

"Fluttershy is still under the effects of the cure that he gave her. She was bitten when we found her here." My conscious walked from its hole, and said 'Good girl'. The pegasus looked cautiously at Ruby and I.

"How did you get a cure, for all I know you could've hurt her!" She lashed again.

That's when I snapped, feeling a bubbly rage come up to my mind.

"What in the Hell would I get for hurting her? I'm trying to save people! Do you know what it would do to me if anyone that isn't infected gets hurt?"

I did a slight of hand with my pistol, ejecting the clip and the bullet in the chamber, and put it too the side of my head for example. Pulling so it would click a few times. Ruby looked horrified, thinking that I had almost shot myself.

I spoke up again in a softer tone, thinking more soundly,

"So, if you wish to lash at me for the assistance, you can take her as she is and we will part ways." The cyan pegasus looked increasingly nervous for lashing at me, twice. She shook her head, I kneeled down and picked the clip and bullet I had dropped. Reloading my pistol, tears streaming my face again, I looked at the blue pegasus mare with a saddened face. Saying to no one in particular,

"For the gods, I'm still a kid."

Putting Vengeance back into its holster, I took up my twenty-two again. Going to the bedroom door, I opened it slowly. Ruby saw what I was doing and levitated her gun out. Keeping my rifle in my line of sight, I took silent steps into the hallway of the cottage. Ruby kept to my right, who I just now noticed, had my gray jacket on. Questions bubbled in my head, but I held them back for the moment. Going down the steps, I heard a few stumbles downstairs. Keeping sharp, I took out the flashlight from my pocket. Putting my rifle over my shoulder, I drew Vengeance. Holding the flashlight and pistol in a combat knife form. The light swept the downstairs quickly, revealing the front door broken open, and three large zombie ponies milling about the room. Taking two quick shots, I took two down. The other came from Ruby, hitting the center one in the side of the head. She had the look of a warrior in her eyes. I half wanted it and half hated it. She looked at me with a sad smile. I nodded, knowing that we would exchange words at the end of this. Walking over the splinters of the front door, I flicked the flashlight off, and stuffed it in my pocket. Swapping rifle for pistol, I began to check sectors at the front of the house.

It was mostly clear, except for the all the bodies I had gunned down.

Waving my hand in a circle, Ruby came up to my right, followed by the cyan pegasus. Walking over the bodies of the dead, I began to whisper ,"Sorry friend," to everyone I passed.

Getting out of the minefield of bodies of the fallen, we began to give a good graced power walk. Ruby to my right, and the other pegasus in the middle. Who was still shaking and horrified by all the bodies. What stumped me is that Ruby had already started to get over her fears and fought back. Chatter was kept to a minimum, only when me and Ruby commented back and forth about suspected targets. Which, happened to just be scared woodland animals. Once in awhile, a doe would run across the path, to watch us. The first time it had crossed, Ruby had gotten scared and pulled her gun from its holster. I gave a hiss to silence her. She nodded and continued on.

A little while after this incident, we came across a dense arch of trees. Which gave me the willies, and screamed trap. I looked to Ruby,

"Get behind closer to me. I sense a trap." She cocked her head, and did as she was told. The cyan pony did so too, but was in the middle of us. Going in between the arch of trees, I heard a truly human sounding attack scream. I saw a violet-coated unicorn charge from the foliage, and shoot a beam of light. I saw the large purple arrow move in slow motion, it was going straight to Ruby. Dropping the duffle bag, I jumped in the path of the beam, and it hit me directly in the chest. Then everything went black and fuzzy for what seemed to be an eternity.

I woke up with Ruby standing directly above me, pointing Peace soundly. My ears were ringing harshly, I sat up, chest burning greatly. It felt as if I took a incendiary round to the chest. Groaning, I scrambled for the rifle in my right hand. Ruby looked at me with worry, but was still focused with her pistol. My heart shot right back into my head, a voice coming from the direction I was shot from,

"-..at in the hay did you do that for Twilight! He was helping us!" the voice was coming from the tomboy pegasus I saved. I looked at Ruby with a pained expression,

"Are you okay? That looked like a serious magic missile." she whispered. I nodded, using my rifle as a cane, I stood. "By serious, I mean that it could've killed me." Ruby whispered again. This ticked me off, causing me to try and stomp forward to the shooter. The purple unicorn that had shot me looked like she was seeing a ghost. I gave her a shameful frown,

"What's the big deal? She looks scared enough to try an get the jump on a possible enemy to defeat them." The unicorn began to sputter out words, trying to get a grasp on what she was saying,

"Y-.. You should be dead. I-.. I charged that spell for more than forty minutes!" I shrugged, my chest began to ache more,

"I should of been dead a year ago, you're a bit late sister. And after you take more than one bullet, you get used to being shot." I stumbled where I stood, "We need to make shelter before this adrenaline fades off, or I will die of exhaustion." I said with sarcasm. The violet pony turned around, and went into the foliage again. Wanting us to follow. I went back to the duffle bag, and picked it up. Fluttershy was still sleeping soundly, even after the yelling war. Hauling it over my shoulder, I used my rifle as a crutch, and went forward. Ruby took a defensive position to my right, sticking to my orders.

Going into the foliage, about a minutes walk from the path was a large encampment. A wall of sharp sticks pointing outwards surrounded the camp, except for the entrance, which stood a quite notable figure of orange and yellow. The pony wore a faded cowboy hat. The pony looked quite happy to see Twilight, the violet unicorn. The other ones on my companions, the cyan pegasus, ran up with a smile and starting giving some commands. The cowboy hat wearing pony walked over to me with a concerned look.

"Name's Applejack, I need follow me." Applejack had a heavy southern drawl. I nodded, following her without question.

She lead us to a tent that had a medical symbol at the side of it. Going into it made me feel nauseated. A heavy stench of blood hung in the air. I turned right around to face Ruby who was just staring at me. I walked out of the tent, lying down my duffle bag, and pulled out my medical bag. I looked at Ruby again, a sullen look on my face,

"You stay out here, okay?" She nodded, and sat down. I turned back around and pulled up the tent flap and got hit with the same smell of blood. Applejack was staring at me in question. Beside her was a pony with a nurses cap on with nice red hair underneath. She looked at me with wide eyes.

"Rainbow told me that he has a cure, and it may work." Applejack said to the nurse. Who nodded, and motioned me to follow to a screen surrounded cot. Inside was a quite sad looking, pink pony. I flinched at the bright color for a moment, then saw that she had a large amount of bloody bandages on her. The helping doctor mode in my body kicked in. I looked to nurse in question,

"Did you already clean out the wounds?" She seemed to be staring at the pony in slight fear that she would turn any moment. My brain screamed, 'Fuck it! Just help her!', and I did so. Taking out a vial of the light green liquid, and my last injector. Filling it to the exact amount it should've been, I put it into the pony's left arm. Taking out a vial of the red herb, I began to tear at the bandages, dropping a few drops of red and a single of green onto each of the four bites. I kindly asked for the nurse, who was standing behind me.

"I need water and two rolls of bandages, please." The nurse snapped out of her trance, running from the cot to get what I ordered. I looked in the eyes of the pony I was helping. Her eyes were a soft pastel blue color. I smiled reassuringly at her,

"Don't worry, everything will be alright." She just stared at me with a faulty smile. I heard hoof steps behind me, turning around I saw the nurse with a large metal canteen of water and a few rolls of bandages. Taking all of it up, I set the rolls onto the side of the cot. Opening the stopper from the canteen, I held it to the pony's lips. She began to take light chugs of the water. Halfway draining it, I pulled the water away and stoppered it. Taking the rolls of bandages, I began to wrap it around the pink mare's wounds.

Finishing the carefully placed bandages, I turned to the nurse with a reassuring smile,

"She'll be fine, she should have a fever in about ten to twenty minutes. It's natural, and if you can try to get her to puke. Afterward," I said, pulling out some pain killers from my bag, pouring three into my hand. Setting them at the nightstand of the cot, "Give her these three after she pukes, it will numb the pain for about five hours, and keep her asleep to rest." Turning back around, I looked at her, "Got it?" The nurse nodded.

Going through the screen, I was stopped by a group of four differently colored ponies. They all looked quite pleased with me, their emotions rained thankfulness.

I must of felt like a puddle of mud in radiating emotions.

The main one of the group spoke up, and recognized it was the mare that shot me in the chest with the magic missile.

"Thank you, we all thank you rescuing Fluttershy and helping Pinkie Pie." I nodded with a sad smirk,

"It all part of the job, ma'am." I walked past them, really needed a place to vent at the moment. Exiting the tent, I saw Ruby's eyes dart to me in concern. I sat down next to her with a sigh, my chest tingling. I looked down at the wound, seeing that it had burned a hole in my gray shirt and left the skin on top scorched black. It didn't look too pretty, and smelled like burnt flesh. Ruby looked quite displeased at this, and went inside the tent. I closed my eyes for a moment, but really seemed to be for about a minute.

I felt Ruby nuzzle the side of my head to wake me up, She set down a canteen of water and three bandage rolls onto my lap. Opening my eyes with a smile, she twisted her face awkwardly as if in distaste. But she didn't say anything. I rolled my eyes and stripped myself of the shirt, and dabbed water onto it. Cleaning my charred chest with it, the skin was a rose-red color under the black, which relieved me some. Rolling the bandages around my chest, they went around the whole of my chest. Leaving no part of the burn uncovered. I sighed and sat back, looking at the shirt with a chuckle,

"Looks like I'm going to need a new shirt." Setting the wet-gray ball of fabric on the ground. Ruby sat next to me again, I looked about to see my duffle bag missing in action. Ruby seemed to know what I was going to ask and responded,

"They took it to the tent that we're supposed to be in." I smiled with reply,

"Sounds like fun, shall we?" We both stood, taking my twenty-two back over my bare shoulder.

"You look better with your shirt on, Drew." Ruby commented playfully. I nodded,

"I know, and you stole my jacket." Ruby snickered lightly,

"Did not! I'm just keeping it for you." She said in defense. I rolled my eyes again, Ruby in front of me. She led me to a tent that was pretty close to the entrance of the encampment. I shrugged the thought off of being unprepared. Before walking into it, I looked to the sky and saw that the sun was more or less past midday. Looking into the tent, there were two unused cots lined next to each other. My duffle bag placed on the right cot, devoid of Fluttershy in it. I sighed, taking the bag from the cot, setting it on the floor. I took a seat on the cot, it groaned in protest under my weight.

I looked at Ruby with a emotionless face.

"We need to talk." She looked at me with a look of understanding, "Firstly, back there at the cottage, was the best shooting I could of hoped from a person of your age." She gave a sad smile, but I could tell that she was somewhat beaming.

"But, you really need to drop the hard shell act. It's going to tear you up inside, like it's done to me. You saw from the stunt I almost pulled back there. I want me to tell me everything you've felt sense this started, even before I met you." Ruby took off the gun belt I put around her waist with her teeth. My coat that she was wearing was already discarded into her cot. She sighed, and laid on her cot.

"Is this one of those psychiatric moments?" I nodded, and she continued, "I guessed that, points to me. But, yeah, can I start a day before I met you? Tough stuff when I younger." I gave a raised brow, shaking my head.

"I want all of it, I told you about me. I want to know about you." She gave the same awkward face of distaste, which caused me to smile again.

"Okay, my life before this all started was pretty rough. My parents were young when they had me. Left me at the hospital a few days after I was born. The orphanage wasn't a pleasant place in Ponyville, some really nasty kids there. Even though the town looks like a pile of sugar and gumdrops."

I nodded, "That's enough of that, don't want to bring back old souls to haunt you." She looked thankful and continued.

"About a week ago the, what you called the folded prion protein, started showing up all of a sudden. A lot of the ponies started getting sick, biting others. But you probably already know this. I was just scared and defenseless to try and stop it. Most told me that I'm too young to even fight it, and just retreat and hide. I told them they were wrong and something needed to be done. So, like a idiot, I tried to fight them. I had went to the bakers house and grabbed up a lot of knives, and things I could use as weapons. As I went outside, I found about seven of those, what you call walkers, outside. Just waiting for me to come outside. I fought most of them off, I ran out of knives after the first four. I ran, knowing that they would eventually catch me. Then I saw and heard you some ways down the street."

She paused, looking on the edge of tears. Ruby stood up, and walked over to my cot and laid down on it beside me.

"I was so scared, but when you heard my scream and yelled back. I found a new hope, someone to look too. At the time, I thought you just were carrying a stick with you, until you started firing from it. That scared me more, that you had something that I hadn't even seen or heard of before. After I saw that the ponies that were hunting me fall, and die, I saw that you were more then just hope. You had power to change decisions of life and death. When I reached you, I felt so tired, and I'm sorry that I fell asleep on you." I shook my head, and chuckled,

"Its alright." I laid down on the cot beside her, I felt her lay her head on my upper-abdomen.

"Well, everything else was a blur. I remember you taking me out of the town and to that cottage. After I saw you try and help that charcoal pony in there, I knew you were a good pon-.. er.. human. But when he attacked you, you didn't hesitate to even shoot him. I saw that you pistol was more powerful then your rifle. I knew that the rifle was just a jester of power. That was when I saw the text on the pistol, Vengeance seems like an appropriate name. When you helped Fluttershy without hesitation, I saw something click in your eyes in an instant. Like you knew her or something."

I nodded, waiting to show her the plushie in the duffle bag.

"After that, the next morning, after I heard almost everything about you. I felt envious of your life, you mom sounded like a great pony.. er.. human. All of that faded when you looked out the window with your rifle, and turn back to me. You gave me that gun, and had that look in your eyes that you trusted me like a best-friend. At that moment, I was shocked that you gave me the power of life and death with it. I was terrified again, but a great sense of responsibility turned gears in my mind. I spent about a minute just examining the gun as you protected the cottage without hesitation. Peace seemed like a quirky name for something that dealt with death. Then I saw the inscription under it. 'Peace is never found without war', right? Then I put together the names of your guns, Peace and Vengeance. Great names for things of evil beauty." I nodded, laying a hand on Ruby's shoulder.

"After we began to leave the cottage, I saw you're ruthless efficiency with Vengeance. I learned from it, and tried what you did. Think and then shoot. After I shot that pony, I felt like. Like a part of my soul had dropped and left me. It made me feel so cold, like I didn't want to it again. But another part quickly took up the lost place. Telling me that I needed to do this, and that the blood wouldn't stop there."

I rubbed her shoulder in comfort and responded, "I know the feeling, it hurts. More then you know." She looked up at me with a sense of sympathy.

"After that, going through that arch of trees. I saw something else tick into your eyes, like you had been through something like it before. You knew it was a trap, and you took the risk of tripping it. After I saw that missile come right at me, I thought it was all over for me. I closed my eyes and hoped for the end. It didn't come, all I saw when I opened my eyes was you laying on the ground, smoking, you bit the bullet for me. I thought that I had lost you, and I drew my gun. Ready to kill your murderer. I saw you open your eyes as I was pulling the trigger, I nearly dropped the gun. I kept my focus on it, looking about to make sure nothing was going to get you. When I told you that the missile could've killed me, you look ticked off. I thought you were going to shoot Twilight. But, instead you made a fun joke of a comment, and trucked onwards. After taking a ray of death. Seriously, I could mistake a tank for you."

Ruby paused as we heard a bell outside, hearing curfew in effect. She looked back to me a smiled,

"Then, after you went into the medical tent, and helped that infected pony without any payment and didn't even accept thanks from her friends. I knew that you would give your life to anypony or any cause. When you walked out, and saw that you didn't even take care of yourself. I was pretty confused and angry at you." I chuckled and interrupted,

"So that's what that face means." She nodded with a smile.

"I went in and got the supplies from you, the nurse was pretty shocked that you didn't hesitate to help the injured. I passed them, and they didn't even pay attention to me. I grabbed the bandages and the canteen and cantered out."

She smiled at me, "And thats about up to now. What do you think shrink? Can I be helped?" I looked at her a half-serious smile,

"After you tell me a few things."

"Shoot."

"How old are you, and can you tell me what those marks on your flanks mean." She rolled her eyes at the easy questions,

"I'm sixteen in pony-years, I look younger then I am. And the marks are cutie marks, they tell what a ponies' special talent is. I don't have mine yet, other ponies just call me a late bloomer. But I doubt I'll get mine." She had a sullen look on her face, and I could help but stare at her flank. She had crossed pistols on her flank, reading the names of my pistols on it. I smile at her,

"You should look again, and you seriously had me stumped on you age. Could guess that if pony years and human years are the same, were the same age. " Ruby looked at me with questions, and looked at her flanks to see the cutie mark there. She turned around and smile at me, and threw a very sarcastic comment my way,

"I didn't know you like to stare at flanks." And by all god I blushed like an idiot and stumbled over words.

"I-... I-.. You... Come on! I was just now looking at it!" She pffted,

"Whatever." We both broke out into fits of laughter at this, chuckling for minutes. At the end of it, I spoke up again.

"Okay, you were wondering why I recognized Fluttershy, right?" Ruby nodded, "I was having weird dreams before I showed up here. Like, really freaky real dreams. Dreams that I saw her and the other five. Including the one in the medical tent. The one I patched up, running from thousands of human walkers. You sitting on my shoulders, having a blast. We all were, even with the walkers following us." I reached over with my left hand, into the duffle bag and pulled out the Fluttershy plushie.

"I woke up here with this in my duffle bag, didn't even know where it came from." She looked at me and mumbled,

"Weird." I nodded, looking out the tent flap. It was just now turning dark outside. I put the plushie back down into the duffle bag. I yawned,

"Its about time we got some sleep." She nodded, and laid back on stomach. I closed my eyes and sleep quickly embraced me.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

I woke up by myself this time, light of the dawn cracking through the tent flap. I opened my eyes to see a large puff of ruby red over my eyes. It tickled a lot. I chuckled, poking Ruby on the side. I realized that she had snuggled under my right arm. She looked adorable as she slept. I kept poking, and then she woke up. Her eyes fluttering open. She looked at me with her beautiful gray-green eyes. I gave a smile,

"Good morning, seems someone wanted me to wake up with their hair in my face." Ruby blushed under her coat, I snickered somewhat.

"You know, I could get used to waking up that." Ruby chirped, crawling from the cot. I sat up, then it hit me. I groaned as I felt the mystical powers laughing at me, a powerful sense of sickness washed over me.

"What's wrong?" I heard Ruby asked in concern. I rolled my head her way,

"Fever and all the shebang." I laid back down with a groan, "I hate being sick." Taking my time, I sat up slowly. Putting my gun holster back on. Ruby saw this, and did the same thing.

"Were moving out today, we got their band back together. So we gotta' split ship and go to Dodge." She looked at me like I was crazy, I smiled. "Pretty please?" she rolled her eyes and nodded. I stood up, looking at Ruby, who putting my jacket on.

"Thief.." I hissed loud enough for Ruby to hear, who just gave we a over-the-shoulder smile. I took my still slightly damp and destroyed shirt. Putting it over my torso, I looking down at my chest. The texture of the bandages ruined the shirt, but it would have to do. Taking up my twenty-two, I looked to the tent flap again.

"Were leaving before midday, I still want to check out Ponyville for survivors."

"Sure, let's head into a death trap." I smiled and looked at her,

"No one gets left behind." I said with a heavy spoonful of seriousness. Ruby looked confused at my word choices. "Just go with it, it's a motto," She seemed to understand and nodded. Slinging my duffle bag over my shoulder, I went through the tent flap. Ruby followed suit, walking up onto my right again.

"We need to get a few days rations, maybe some extra will do." I saw that Ruby was making a mental checklist. "See if we can't find some armor for you, I don't want you taking a single hit and dieing on me." She gave me a look of amusement. "And maybe if we're lucky, and bag for you." I said, Ruby nodded in agreement. I turned my attention to a few ponies that were wearing armor, guarding a tent. I heard a familiar voices of Applejack and Twilight inside.

Walking up to the door of the tent, the two guards, who I realized were pegasi, blocked me with their gray wings. One of the said in a strict voice,

"Halt!" That was all they did before I broke out into laughter, which broke the strict look about them.

"Awahah, seriously you two, the strict guard shtick isn't you." They looked at each other, both of them were both confused by my light attitude. The conversation in the tent abruptly stopped, and I saw Twilight poke her head out of the flap.

"Oh, hello Drew, need something?" She said casually, I nodded, relaying my small checklist that I had formed in my head. She looked around, and nodded for me to come in. Letting Ruby go in first, I folding into the room. I saw maps and plans all over the table. Like they were fighting a war or something. Quickly looking over it, there were red Xs all over the page. There were a lot of of those, and very little green check marks. Seemed like too much failure and little victory. Looking back up, I saw that Applejack and Twilight were talking again. I couldn't hear much of their conversation, being that they were whispering. Ruby stood beside me, looking at the map. She had the same look on her face that I did, the look of sour defeat. I gave her a sarcastic look,

"They need new strategies." She snickered with a nod. Applejack walked over to us, eye full of question.

"What do you need these supplies for?"

"I'm leaving, and I'm in need of supplies. As well, I'm going to be looking for survivors." I tapped the map on the table, "And by the looks of this, you need the help." She looked back to Twilight, who looked surprised by my willingness to step up and help.

"Aheh." Applejack awkwardly chuckled, "That was actually what we w're talking about." I raised a brow. Applejack continued,

"Well, we need you to check out a building in Ponyville that we suspect that some ponies are hiding out in." I nodded, Rescue mission, Boo-yah!

"We'll head out this afternoon." Twilight spoke up from behind Applejack,

"Are you sure, you don't look so good." I shook my head,

"I need to walk off the last two days. A lot of stuff here I don't understand yet." I turned to Ruby and back to Twilight, and idea bubbling,

"Do you have any blood samples of the infected, if I may add that and a microscope to my list." She looked around and back to me in question,

"Why? You look more of a fighter then a scientist." I shrugged,

"Don't judge a book by its cover, plus I know what I'm looking for in the blood. From what I've gathered from Ruby here, the infections been going on for about a week or two ago." She nodded, "Then it's worse than I expected." Twilight gulped and motioned for me to follow to a station at the back of the tent. Going to it, I saw a few vials of blood, a microscope, and a few medical devices. Twilight spoke up to my left,

"I've been noticing the blood of the bitten is being dormant, like it's dying." I shook my head,

"Its mutating, it happened to my planet. Keep a tighter lock on your survivors, find higher ground or a secure building." I dug in my duffle bag, and pulled out my second to last vial of cure.

"Find the compounds of this," I placed the vial onto the table carefully, "And you have a cure, but I'm still looking to make an antidote or even a prevention." I turned around, seeing that I need to boost up time against the infection.

"This virus is a folded protein prion, meaning if you get something bigger then it, you can cure it." I turned to Applejack, "We need those supplies, quick. I'm moving out in thirty minutes." Ruby looked at me in question as we left the tent. I turned to her, a serious look in my eyes,

"Things are going to get really bad, if this thing mutates like I think it will. The virus will make fighting the zombies now like child's play." She looked at the ground and back to me,

"How bad are they, will our bullets hurt them?" I nodded, but I just had a quote,

"Its going to take a lot of bullets."

Going with Applejack, we followed her to a few stops. Those stops being a mess hall, in which we picked quite a lot of soldier's rations. My duffle bag was half full of the things. Going on, we got Ruby a nice green colored saddlebag. Reaching the armory, we tried our hardest to find something to fit Ruby, but everything they tried just slipped off. Curse all of those plus sized armor plates. She shrugged to me,

"It was worth a try." We both smiled and chuckled a bit, I let her keep my jacket for some form of protection. I could feel a John Wayne moment crawling into my head, saying that I needed a beer. I looked to Ruby with a half-massed smile,

"I'm going to get those survivors back here, tell them a good place to be at the moment, and find myself a nice hammock. Do you wish to join me?" She nodded,

"Sounds like a plan boss." I blinked and stopped walking with the supplies. She had gotten the A-Team and John Wayne mixed quote.

"You're good.." Ruby smiled. Taking off at a light jog, I went through the entrance of the camp, and into the forest.

Reaching the path a few moments, Ruby keeping a steady pace to my right, I lifted up my rifle into my line of sight. Turning to the right, we headed down the path, and to the direction of Ponyville.

Ruby and I stopped as we reached the outskirts of the town, and all we saw of fire. Fire was everywhere and was rampant. I looked at her, and shook my head.

"I do stupid things, but I do not like to play with fire." I began to look around with my scope, and saw some of the buildings on the Eastern side of town unscathed and away from the fire. I took out the map from my bag, checking the buildings. I quickly lined up the building, and looked to my companion,

"Okay, I see the building. Its away from the fire. We have about forty minutes, tops, to get them out. Then their roast turkey." She nodded, and we hurried along to the building.

Reaching the front of it, I pushed on the door. To find it barricaded heavily. But I'm a tough guy, so I pushed the door open. The table and couch they had in the way pushed along after I broke into the rolling friction. I saw that the inside was pitch black, the windows having shutout blinds. Taking out my pistol and flashlight, and held it like I did at the cottage. Flashing it about the room, I found it empty. With a few brown marks on the floor, but I smelled that it was blood. I turned to Ruby,

"Keep sharp, and please don't get bit." She had a worried expression, I gave a faulty smile, "Look, after this is done with. I'm going to go up to one of those mountains to hide out for a few days, and I'm going to get shit-faced drunk. And I want you there." She went wide-eyed at the thought, then smiled.

"I read you, lets get this over with." I turned back around, seeing the blood go up the stairs, I took a few silent steps up the stairs. Reaching the top, I crouched and waiting for Ruby. She came up beside me, her magic lighting her way. I waved my flashlight around in the hallway, the ceiling up here was low. About five feet in height. I had to crouch to walk around. Blood was smeared on the walls to the right, as if the blood were chasing something. Taking point, I kept going forward, following the blood. Another set of stairs lined out in front of me.

"I hate stairs," I muttered under my breath. Going up the stairs, I heard a inhuman, or should I say unpony, moan come from a little ways down the hall. I quickly stormed up the stairs, flashing the light down the hall. I saw that there were about five walkers around a single door, just waiting. I fired from my pistol three times, Ruby covering with the other two. They all fell quickly, leaving the hall clear. I walked to the door the walkers had surrounded, I knocked on the door with my gun.

"Hello! Anyone in there?" I heard a faint response,

"Help.." I took about four steps back, and rammed the door with my shoulder. The door cave in on the first attempt. Weak pony doors. Looking about with my gun and flashlight, I saw six scared looking ponies look at me. Another of them was isolated in the corner.

"Come on, we need to get out here. We'll protect you." They seemed to budge from this, quickly going out the door. I turned to Ruby, "You go with them, I'll get thing one. You start heading back to the outpost without me." She shook her head, I sighed, "Okay, just go outside and wait." Ruby seemed pleased with this and left. Turning my attention to the pony that was isolated, it was quite clear that he or she was bitten. I could hear the pony weeping sadly. Walking over to it, learning from my past mistake of standing too close,

"Hey, are you already-.." The pony turned its head, its eyes were a solid red, and it screamed. I knew the scream, I played a video game when I was younger with the same scream. It sounded like a witch from Left 4 Dead. It looked like it too. I quickly back peddled, keeping my eye on it. It rose quickly and charged at me. I put four bullets from my gun into its forehead.

And it still didn't die.

It bit me on the right arm, it's teeth were razor sharp. Shredding my arm, I screamed in pain. Picking up my gun in my left hand, I put the rest of the clip into it. Then it died. Putting my gun back up, I put my right arm under my left armpit. Taking back up my flashlight, I hurried out. This world was going to end up badly. Almost like Left 4 Dead.

Jumping down the second set of stairs, I exited the front door. Seeing the six ponies looking around nervously. Ruby looked at me, and saw the blood my shredded arm that was soaking my shirt.

"Tough bastard, took a whole clip." I said, hurrying to get out of town.

Rushing at almost a full jog the whole time, Ruby at the front of the group and me at the back. We reached the front of the camp, to be greeted by most of them packing up their gear. I saw Twilight rush up to the group and smile on her face, greeting the others. She walked my to me and saw my injured arm.

"W-.. What happened?" I shook my head, walking to the infirmary. Going in, I saw the nurse look at me funky.

"I need a few rolls of bandages, please." She got what I requested and a canteen of water. Drinking most of the water, I cleaned over my shredded arm. I wrapped a bandage over it, shoving the rest into my duffle bag. I looked at the nurse,

"Do you have any extra medical gear? A few scalpels and some tongs will do." She nodded, and returned with a folded brown cloth. I put it into my bag, "I'm going to need these in a bit, is it alright if I keep them."

"Yes, take them please. It's the least I can do." I nodded, walking from the tent. I saw Ruby standing and in conversation with Twilight. Applejack was waiting beside them, and looked to me. I waved her over with my left hand, she took a few steps to me.

"I was needing to ask you something." She raised her left eyebrow in question,

"Whatcha need partner?"

"I was wondering if you had any alcohol, like of the drinking sort."

"Sure we do, most of the soldier's use it keep up morale at night. But we hardly use it." I nodded, she turned and began to walk off. Seemingly to get what I was asking about. Ruby walked over with Twilight,

"Drew, Twilight here asked me what you're going to do next." I tried to smile some,

"I already told you, but I'm going to hike up onto one of the mountains," I motioned to the North, where a few mountain's poked up from, "And make a cabin up there, and try and relax. You should do the same, the infection here is getting bad. The walkers dislike high altitudes and the cold. It slows the virus' progress." She nodded, taking over my advice. Twilight turn around and went back to helping to pack up the camp. I looked to Ruby,

"Where are they going?" She rolled her eyes,

"Back to Celestia's castle, I doubt that it will be any more safe there then in the hills." I nodded, and looked about at the almost already packed up camp. I saw Applejack walking my way with a brown saddle bag on her back. She stopped in front of me, and dropped the bags.

"I gotcha some of the alcohol, and an extra microscope that Twilight had lying about. She was really shocked that you already knew what the infection was. It took her two weeks to research the darn thing, and you told it too her in a single look." I nodded,

"Thank you Applejack, you've done me a great good. If that castle of Celestia's every comes crumbling down, come find me." She nodded, and turned back to helping Twilight. I opened the bag up, taking out the contents of it. I found a small keg of what seemed to be hard apple cider. And a cardboard box with a few carefully packaged blood samples and a microscope in it. I looked to Ruby, who nodded and took the bag up. Both of the bags didn't seem to bother her all that much. I looked to her with a smile, and we started to move out.

My inner compass pointing North.

About an hour into the journey, I made the choice that we weren't being trailing by anything, and pulled out my MP3 player. Ruby began to give my strange looks as we walked through the woods. We passed the edge of what she called 'The Everfree Forest' about twenty minutes ago. Upon taking the MP3 player,

"I think we should take a rest for a few minutes." I said, reading from my MP3 player.

"Why?" I lifted my MP3 player to her, and it read 'You should take a break.' "Huh, and what army is going to make me sit down and rest." She snarked,

"I will," I said, "If you don't sit down and have a rest. I don't really believe in the some kinds of magic mumbo-jumbo, but this is giving me the creeps." I had a really bad suspicion of that I was being watched. I took a seat in a clearing that the trees above were a little bit thinner. A few rays of light shining through. Ruby followed suit, and sat next to me.

"So Ruby, I have a question." I asked.

"Shoot."

"Do you like fish?"

"Uh, eating meat isn't really accepted by the pony population. But there is still a few ponies that like and eat fish. Why?"

"When we get up to the mountains, I'm going to be doing a lot of fishing." She nodded, then my MP3 player began to beep. I looked down at it in bewilderment. It read in a dramatic text, 'Look up'. Which is what I did, I looked up, and saw a duffel bag fall through the canopy. It landed with a metallic thunk.

"WHAT IN THE NAME OF SATAN!" I yelled, a few moments late of it hitting the ground, which caused Ruby to burst out laughing. I stood up, with my rifle in hand, and walked over to it. It was the same kind of green duffle bag that I had. The bag had a big red bow on the top of it, and a card that read, 'To Drew and Ruby'.

"Thats it! I know someone is totally watching me, or I'm just that paranoid!" Ruby was still laughing her head off. I pulled the bow off the bag and looked into it. It had a whole tent set inside, a fishing pole, and to top it off, a clean M10 rifle. With, a ton of ammo for all of my guns. I took the large rifle from the bag, Ruby walked over and commented.

"Wow-ie, thats a big gun." I turned to her with a scary grin, and began to remember a advertisement for it.

"This gun can use any type of ammo, ranging from .22 to .308 rounds. Bullets big enough to tear you in half." Her grin instantly dropped, and a look that said 'Seriously?'. "Want my twenty-two? New gun for you, makes less noise." She nodded, to which I took the twenty-two off my shoulder, and laid to Ruby. I put the m10 rifle over my shoulder, already seeing that it was loaded. With guess what, .308 rounds. Pulling the bolt back, I looked at the shiny shell. Looking at the back of the bullet it read, 'Celestia is a Bitch! - Luna'. I began to giggle, motioning to Ruby. Showing her the bullet, she gave me a attempted straight face. But then started laughing with me. Putting the bullet back in, remembering what the bullet read, I began to smile more. I threw the second duffle bag over my shoulder, continuing onwards through the woods.

"You know, that was sent by Luna, right?" Ruby said, to which I nodded. Remembering from the show that Luna was Celestia's little sister.

"I doubt that Celestia would put, and I quote, 'Celestia is a Bitch - Celestia'." I chuckled, rubbing my nose.

Continuing for more or less a few hours onwards North. Everything got cold, fast. I didn't mind the cool air on my skin, it was quite refreshing. Ruby looked about normal, wearing my jacket still.

I began to hear what sounded like a creek or a large stream up ahead. I smiled, keeping forward at a quicker pace. Reaching the creek, we came upon a beautiful clearing. The sun setting over the hills to the right looked so perfect. It light up the water to make it look a beautiful swirl of blue and pink. Finding a spot where the rocks were thinner, and grass more present, I set both of my duffle bags down. Sitting down to take another look at the beautiful atmosphere of the clearing. Ruby looked around as well, shocked as much as I was.

"Yep, no one's going to find us out here." Ruby commented without looking at me.

"Luna sure will, seeing that she's been watching us the whole time."

"True."

Setting up the tent, I went back into the duffle bag and found a single folded cot. Cursing Luna mentally for her suggesting of Ruby and I. I unfolded the cot, and stood up again. Ruby walked into the large tent, it large enough for me to stand up comfortably. Ruby pulled the rest of our supplies into the tent, setting them near the cot.

"See, even Luna wants us to be a couple." I said out loud.

"Huh," Ruby said, "What was that." I rolled my eyes and repeated myself,

"Even Luna wants us to be a couple, she only gave us one cot." She chuckled,

"Its alright, I can use you as a pillow." She walked outside again. I kneeled down and grabbed out the keg from her saddle bag. Pulling out two of the ration cans we had gotten from the camp, and took them with me as well. Walking out of the tent, I set them down at the bed of creek. It had a very fine sand at the bed, as if this stream had been here for years, undisturbed. Looking around, I found a good amount of fallen sticks and logs scattered about, and made a fire. Which took the process of taking a lighter from my pocket, which I hadn't even realized I had there. Upon making the fire, I began to set up the keg. Taking a can of vegetable broth ration, I set it on the ground and stood back up. Going back into the tent and grabbed some things from the second duffle bag I had gotten. Taking out a pot from it, which happened to be under the cot I had put out. Returning to the fire, I put the poured some of my canteens water into the pot, and placed it over the fire. Pouring the can of vegetable broth afterwards. Ruby came up from the water, seeming that she had jumped in and took a swim for a few moments. She was sopping wet and laid near the fire beside me. I sat and cooked for the both of us.

"Have a nice swim?"

"Yep, it's nice and cool in there." I smiled,

"Sounds like paradise to me."

Finishing the broth, we both filled our stomachs, being that we both hadn't eaten in almost two days.

That's when the heavy drinks started rolling, and the hormones went nuts.


End file.
